Bedtime Stories
by ksomm814
Summary: From the Midnight Series. Much has changed in Harry Potter's life after leaving England. Some say life experiences are the best way to teach lessons and Harry is no different. Take a peak at how Harry teaches the next generation.
1. Strength

_Due to the mixed reviews on the last chapter of Rise of the Protector, here's a small side story that will hopefully answer some questions that many have been asking. _

Bedtime Stories

It was the sensation of uneasiness that abruptly snapped Harry to the world consciousness, like it always did. Blinking repeatedly, it took Harry a moment to realize what or more precisely _who_ woke him. He knew it annoyed his wife but he couldn't help it. He had always been able to sense when his son needed him and his son knew it. That was the only reason there was a hesitation before the screaming began.

As carefully as possible, Harry found his glasses on the bedside table and slid them on as he carefully maneuvered out of bed. Moon light filled the room, giving Harry plenty of light in order to walk around the bed to the bassinet where his son was awake, staring up at him with the intense blue eyes he had inherited from his mother while chubby arms reached out for his daddy. With a big grin on his face, Harry picked the infant up and grabbed one of the already prepared bottles before walking over to the rocking chair that stood by the large window overlooking a perfect view of the full moon.

With as much caution as one could manage with their hands full, Harry sat down and repositioned the baby to begin feeding him. "What do you do when I'm not here, little man?" Harry asked softly. "I surely hope you don't drive your mum mad." The baby just stared at Harry as he continued to suck his bottle. Harry took the opportunity to look out at the moon. "He would have loved you, you know that? And I know you would have loved him. Even after four years, it's still hard to think that he's gone."

Harry started to rock back and forth although it was more for his comfort than the baby's. "You're named after him," he added. "Your grandfather took his first name so I gave you his second. Evan _John_ Potter. It was the least I could for all that he had done for me. Trust your grandfather to name his son after my three fathers, Remus James Black." A grin spread across his face. "I still can't say it seriously. Your grandfather is going to have his hands full with him but he should know better than using the names of three Marauders on one kid."

Evan squirmed slightly forcing Harry to reposition him. "It's the full moons that are the hardest. They will always remind me of your Grandfather Remus. You see, once upon a time there was a little boy who was cursed by a mean man to become a monster every full moon because the boy's father offended the mean man. The boy lived in fear for years knowing that he would never be accepted by those around him if anyone knew about the curse. That is one of the biggest problems with our world, Evan. People focus on the curse that shows itself once a month instead of the man who controls it the rest of the time."

Harry let out a sigh as his gaze returned to his son who was still staring at him intently. "As the little boy got older, he became one of the first werewolves to be accepted to Hogwarts," he said softly. "At Hogwarts he met two extraordinary boys but he was still afraid to tell them what he held inside. He was afraid they would reject him so he lied about where he went every month but that didn't last long. His friends found out about the curse and decided to help. They helped the boy in every way possible. For the first time in a long time, the boy was happy. He had friends that saw him for who he was, not what someone had done to him."

Pulling the bottle out of his son's mouth and holding it up to the moonlight, Harry could see that there was only about an ounce left. Waves of annoyance hit him. Looking down, Harry smiled as he saw Evan reaching up for the bottle. "I can see you have my patience," he said as he returned the bottle to Evan's mouth. "Back to the story, all right? Well, the boy grew up during a hard time. Bad men were hurting people so he did the only thing he could do. He and his friends fought against them. They truly believed that nothing could hurt them as long as they stuck together.

"Unfortunately, fate had other ideas. They were betrayed and, in a blink of an eye, their lives had changed. For years, our hero lived away from the world he loved so much because there was really no one left who accepted what he was. He came back to teach at Hogwarts and protect the son of one of his friends (who we will call James) from his other friend who was believed to betray James .We'll call him Sirius. Despite the stigma and discrimination, our hero fought to remain a part of 'his nephew's' life and even became a partial guardian when Sirius was proved to be innocent of all charges. For the next four years, they worked together to help their charge through all of the trials that came their way."

Noticing that the bottle was empty, Harry set the bottle aside and repositioned Evan in order to burp him. "Together, the three of them stood strong against the Ministry of Magic, the press, unique powers, Death Eaters and the Dark Lord Voldemort himself. They organized an army and defeated the largest threat to the wizarding world in fifty years." A small burp escaped Evan's lips causing Harry to smile. "Good boy," he said quietly. "Just one more, all right?"

Harry didn't have to wait long before another burp filled the silence. Grinning, he repositioned Evan in his arms and rose to his feet. It was strange how the smallest things now gave him the biggest feeling of achievement. As quietly as possible, Harry walked over to the bassinette and carefully put Evan back in it. Evan let out a soft cry of protest but settled down when Harry projected a few calming waves.

"Now," Harry whispered as Evan's eyes began to droop. "This is very important, Evan. You need to know that your Grandfather Remus was the strongest, kindest, most understanding man I've ever known. He never gave in, even when the curse started to overtake him. He fought to be with us as long as he could. He helped me a lot when I started training and I know he helped your Grandfather Sirius when your Grandmother Jocelyn entered the picture. That was just the person Remus was. He always helped people."

A hand rested on Harry's arm causing Harry to turn and see that his wife was indeed awake. Her dark blue eyes seemed even more intense than normal in the pale moonlight. Her long, dark brown hair was pulled back in a loose braid with a few strands framing her oval shaped face. A soft smile graced her full lips allowing Harry to know that she had been up for quite some time.

"He's sleeping, Harry," she said quietly. "Come back to bed."

Harry was about to turn to walk around the bed when he was suddenly pulled forward, landing with a flump face first on the bed. "Anna!" he exclaimed in a whisper as he moved to his side of the bed. "Do you want to wake Evan?"

Anna laughed quietly as Harry made himself comfortable. "With that bedtime story, I have a feeling he's off dreaming about his grandfather," she answered plainly as she moved closer and rested her head on his chest. "Or his Daddy."

Harry absentmindedly started playing with the free strands of hair that had fallen out Anna's braid. "He could be dreaming about you, you know," he countered.

Anna shifted her body so she could look into Harry's eyes. "Harry, please," she said with a smile. "I know Evan adores you. He has a connection with you that he probably will never have with me. To him, you're the one person who can understand him just like he's the one person who can really understand you."

Harry frowned in confusion. He really didn't think a two month old baby could be that aware but stranger things had happened in his life to force him to keep an open mind to anything.

"Harry, I think we need to consider the possibility that Evan may be empathic like you," Anna said carefully as she enfolded her hand with his.

Harry shook his head confidently. "No, it doesn't work that way. I checked before Evan was born. Empathy and healing can't be passed from parent to child. It's an anomaly in the magical development—"

"—that starts when the child is still in the womb," Anna interrupted patiently. "I know, Harry. I researched it too. It's not supposed to happen and we really won't know for sure for at least a few years but the signs are all there, especially when he's around others. He's more in tune with the emotions around him than any baby I've ever seen."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose underneath his glasses. "I think you're seeing too much into this," he said seriously. "My empathy didn't surface—"

"—until you were in a safe and loving environment," Anna interrupted. "Harry, think about it. Your relatives forced your to suppress who you were and what you could do from a very young age. You were born with your 'anomaly'. It just didn't surface one day out of nowhere."

"I know," Harry said in a resigned voice. "I guess I just hoped that Evan would be able to avoid everything I went through. I hated feeling like I was a freak."

Anna gently slapped Harry's arm. "You're not a freak!" she hissed. "Yes, it will be difficult being surrounded by a castle full of teenagers but he has years to get his ability under control so what happened to you won't happen to him. Think about it, Harry. You have your empathy and healing under control now. My emotions don't overpower you—"

"—I thought that was just because you were special."

"—and you're able to be around everyone at the hospital without letting it get to you," Anna continued stubbornly. "Harry, just trust me on this, okay?"

Harry let out a sigh as his eyes slowly closed. Of all the things he wanted to pass on to his son, his empathy had certainly never been one of them. "You know, I have a feeling that Remus is laughing at me right now," he said idly. "After everything I put him through with my empathy, I suppose he would feel it was important to pass on everything I know."

"It sounds like good advice," Anna said as she lowered her head so it once again rested on Harry's chest. "I really wish I could have known him better. The more I hear you talk about him the more I feel like I missed out on something truly remarkable."

Harry smiled. "I think everyone who met him feels the same way," he said soothingly. "He was a brilliant man but he never made you feel like an idiot. He just gave you a look and you knew that the answer was there. You just had to look for it. He had that look when he met Jocelyn and when he met you."

Anna looked up at Harry hopefully. "Really?"

Harry nodded. "After you left he told me never to let you go. At the time, I thought he meant as a friend since that's all we were but when we started dating…"

"Do you think it was his inner wolf?" Anna asked curiously. "With his heightened senses, perhaps he was just able to pick up on things like a wolf. They rely on their senses when finding a mate…"

"I suppose it's possible," Harry said thoughtfully as Anna's head lowered once again. "We should really get some sleep. Evan will be up again in a few hours."

Anna nodded against Harry's chest. "You have tomorrow off, right?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," Harry answered immediately. "We have the family picnic tomorrow. Sirius wants to wander around Central Park with R.J. again. Personally I think he enjoys the looks on everyone's faces at the sight of Padfoot walking with a twenty-month-old child holding the leash."

"Just so you know, Joyce mentioned that they were trying for another baby so, if they say anything about it tomorrow, try to be reasonable," Anna said casually.

"I was reasonable when we found out about R.J.," Harry protested.

"Harry, you burst out laughing."

"Sirius was projecting!" Harry said defensively. "It's not my fault I picked up on his giddiness. I swear I'll be completely reasonable this time. Besides, I think it would be good for R. J. to have a little brother or sister. No child should be raised alone. It's just too lonely."

Anna let out a sigh as she snuggled closer and Harry could pick up a hint of exasperation mixed with a splash of tiredness. Letting out his own sigh, Harry took off his glasses and set the on the bedside table. Thinking back, he still couldn't believe how much had changed in the past five years. He had lost one parent only to gain another. He had gained a baby brother, a wife and even a son—the family he had never believed he would ever have.

He had also gained quite a few friends but none of them would ever replace Ron and Hermione. He still kept in contact with them and they even visited each other as often as possible. Hermione loved her job at the Ministry while Ron finally became reserve Keeper for the Chudley Cannons. They were currently taking things slow although it was well known that Mrs. Weasley was putting the pressure on them ever since she met Evan a month ago.

In all honesty, Harry never thought he would the first of his class to be married and have a child. He had to wonder if his parents felt the same way when he had been born. He had started to think more and more of his parents with each event in his life. Had they felt like he did when he got married? Had they had the same fears when they first found out they would be parents? Had he been anything like Evan when he had been a baby?

_That_ was the question Harry wanted answered more than anything. He knew Anna was right. Evan didn't act like a normal two month old baby. He was more reserved and certainly more alert to his surroundings. One thing was for certain, though. No matter what, Harry was determined to help his son so his life was a lot easier than Harry's had been. Evan's life was bound to be difficult enough once everyone found out who his father was.


	2. Maturity

To say that Harry Potter was exhausted was certainly an understatement. It had been a long sixteen hours but he knew he couldn't show it as he opened the front door of his modest two story home and stepped inside. His wife would understand. His godson would understand. His son, however, wouldn't. Evan John was only fifteen months old and empathic. It was common for Evan to change moods at the flip of a switch because of what someone else was feeling. It had been difficult but Harry believed that he was finally making some progress in training his son how to communicate when it was happening.

Then again, it was often embarrassing when they were out in public and Evan started giggling loudly for no apparent reason at all. Keeping Evan's ability a secret was certainly a full time job. Harry's wife, Anna, had to resort to working around Harry's hectic schedule ever since it became too difficult for Jocelyn Black to look after him. It was completely understandable. Her latest pregnancy had been a difficult one and she had been restricted to bed rest for the past two months.

Thinking of his godfather's wife, Harry couldn't help laughing. She could laugh and joke with the best of them but she was also a force to be reckoned with when the time was right. Deep down, he was glad. Jocelyn was exactly what Sirius Black needed. She kept him in line and kept him from dwelling on the past. It had been years since they had left the life centered around Voldemort behind but there were always reminders of what that life had taken away from both Sirius and Harry.

Closing the door, Harry listened closely for any sign of where his wife, son and godson could be and heard a faint humming from the kitchen. He was impressed. Normally Anna was chasing R.J. around while Evan watched on, laughing. R.J. was certainly Sirius' son. His main goal whenever he came over was to cause as much mischief as possible. Harry had a feeling that Sirius was already training R.J. on the ways of the Marauders.

As quietly as possible, Harry walked into the kitchen as smiled at the sight of Anna putting the finishing touches on a gift basket. He had to admit that she looked as radiant as she did on the day they met. He often wondered how he had ever managed to be so lucky to have her in his life. She had been the first friend in the States he had opened up to about his abilities and had stuck by him through thick and thin, never asking or demanding for anything other than what Harry was willing to tell. It was because of her that Harry had actually learned how to live his life the way he had always wanted without fear of his abilities.

A grin spread on his face as he tiptoed closer and wrapped his arms around Anna's midsection, causing her let out a shocked cry. She immediately turned around and slapped Harry on the chest before kissing him soundly on the lips. Harry pulled her closer and held her tightly. He knew he would have to make it up to her for having to deal with R.J. and Evan alone for the past few days.

Breaking the kiss, Harry rested his forehead against hers and smiled. "Are the boys already in bed?" he asked.

Anna laughed. "You wish," she said. "They're playing upstairs. I have a few monitoring charms on them. I'll have you know that _your_ son has been acting weird all day."

Harry winced. The only times Evan was called 'his' son was when his empathy was out of control.

"He's been giggling all day whenever I'm around him," Anna continued. "I asked him what's wrong but he only says 'Mama funny'."

Harry quickly stepped back, eyes wide. He didn't like the sound of that. "Have you been feeling alright lately?" he asked quickly. "There may be something wrong—"

"—Harry, I feel fine," Anna interrupted patiently. "You would be the first to know if something was wrong." She looked at him for a moment before continuing. "So, tell me. Are Sirius and Jocelyn new parents?"

Harry smiled. "Well, I think you may have to rethink your gift basket," he said vaguely. "Remember how they wanted this one to be a surprise?" Anna nodded. "Well, they were certainly surprised. We are the proud godparents of Leonis Harold Black…and Lillian Joy Black."

Anna's blue eyes widened in shock. "Twins? How's that possible?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know how they could have missed detecting a second baby but they did. Sirius is ecstatic though. I think he knew that this would be Jocelyn's last pregnancy and he had always wanted more than two children. There's also the fact that he finally has a daughter that he can be overprotective with."

Anna laughed. "Oh, I can only imagine. When will Jocelyn be up for visitors?"

"I took tomorrow off so we can go whenever we're ready," Harry answered with a grin. "That way you can talk to Jocelyn while Sirius and I take the boys to see the twins in the nursery." He ran his hands down her arms in a soothing manner. "So, should I see what's up with our boy?"

They walked up the stairs together, Harry wrapping an arm around Anna. Deep down, he knew that if something was wrong, Evan wouldn't giggle. Hopefully Evan would be able to clarify what he was able to pick up on. It was times like this that made Harry wonder if his parents had ever gone through this. Had they noticed that he had been different?

Before they even entered Evan's play room, giggles filled the air. Harry and Anna shared a look before stepping into the room. R.J. was sitting in front of a television watching a cartoon of a bunch of puppet monsters that were singing the alphabet while Evan sat beside him. The funny thing was that Evan's back was facing the television. He had been staring at the doorway, waiting for them.

"DADDY!" Evan yelled scrambling to his feet and running unsteadily towards Harry.

R.J. turned from the television and beamed. "Harry!" he shouted before jumping to his feet and joining Evan in the rush to get in Harry's arms first.

Harry dropped to one knee and scooped his son up in his left arm while allowing R.J. to wrap his arms around Harry's neck making it easier to hold R.J. in his right arm. The more days passed, the more Evan looked like his father except for his intense blue eyes that he had inherited from his mother and the more R.J. looked exactly like Sirius.

"Were you good for mummy, Evan?" Harry asked as he stared into Evan's eyes.

Evan nodded fiercely with a wide smile showing the few teeth that had come in. "Mama 'unny, Daddy!" Evan exclaimed excitedly.

Harry turned to face Anna. "Evan, can you point where Mummy's 'funny'?" he asked seriously. Without hesitation, Evan shifted in Harry's arms in order to point at Anna's stomach. Inhaling deeply, Harry lowered the shields he had magically cast to block his empathy and instantly picked up on what Evan was sensing. Something _was _different about Anna's stomach. There was a presence similar to what Harry had felt nearly two years ago.

"What is it?" Anna asked nervously. "Harry, what's wrong with me?"

Harry smiled. "Nothing's wrong, Anna," he said reassuringly. "Evan just felt that he's going to have a brother or sister."

Anna's eyes widened as her hands instinctively rested against her stomach. "A baby?" she asked as waves of nervousness and fear surrounded her. "But Evan's only a year old and—and the twins—"

Harry's smile faltered. "Anna—"

"—don't start, Harry," Anna interrupted quickly before leaning forward and kissing Harry on the lips causing Evan to giggle and R.J. to let out a loud 'yuck'. "I'm happy but it's just so unexpected." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "There's only one, right?"

Harry laughed. "From what I can tell, yes, there's only one," he assured.

"Harry?" R.J. asked hopefully. "Where Daddy?"

Harry knelt down and set both boys on the floor. "R.J., do you remember where your Mummy and Daddy are?" he asked patiently.

R.J. scrunched his face up in thought before replying, "Daddy and mommy need baby out," he said with a nod. "Is baby out?"

"Yes, R.J.," Harry answered patiently. "There are no more babies in your mum's tummy. Your daddy wants you to behave tonight so you can visit him, your mum and the babies tomorrow, all right?"

R.J. let out a cheer and rushed out of the room leaving Evan giggling before following at a more cautious pace. Harry couldn't help smiling as he rose to his feet and wrapped an arm around Anna's waist. Both boys were changing so much that it seemed like every day was a new experience. R.J. had finally passed out of the 'terrible two's' even though he still had his moments, it was nothing like it had been when R.J. would throw himself on the floor, kicking and screaming. There had been quite a few instances during that time that Sirius had begged Harry for help, not understanding what he had done or how to make R.J. stop.

Sure, Harry had cheated by using his empathy more than once but sometimes it was the only way to calm R.J. down as quickly as possible and lessen the stress on Jocelyn's high risk pregnancy. The more Harry thought about it the more he should have realized the signs of twins but he ignored everything because Sirius insisted they wanted it to be a surprise.

Following Evan into Evan's room, Harry could only laugh at the sight of R.J. fiercely trying to undress and failing. Anna took pity on the nearly-three-year-old and hurried over to help leaving Harry to take care of Evan. Personally, Harry thought he got the better end of the deal. R.J. was in the middle of toilet training which was a lot easier with the aid of magic but still a challenge. R.J. still had to learn everything on his own. The spells just helped prevent some nasty accidents.

In a matter of no time, Harry had Evan changed and dressed in his favorite pajamas. As always, Evan seemed to understand it was time for bed and calmed down the moment Harry put him in his crib. Then again, it could be because Evan knew he would be told a story since it had become a pattern ever since Evan had been a few months old.

"All right, R.J.," Anna said as she ushered him into the room from a quick trip to the bathroom, now dressed in a pair of dinosaur pajamas. "Time for bed. If you're really good, maybe Harry will tell you a story—"

"Story! Story!" R.J. chanted as he rushed to his toddler bed and dived under the covers only to quickly reposition himself so his head was resting on the pillow. "Tell Daddy story!"

Harry grinned as he sat down in the rocking chair while Anna went over to check on Evan before dimming the lights and leaving the room. "Daddy's story…hmmm," Harry said playfully. "All right. Once upon a time there was a boy who wanted to make everyone laugh. He didn't like his mummy and daddy because they didn't want him to be funny. They wanted him to be like them. So, when the boy went off to school, he decided that he would be as funny as he could be."

Both R.J. and Evan giggled.

"On the train to the school, the boy met a boy just like him who wanted to make people laugh so they made a promise," Harry continued. "No matter what happened, they would always find a way to make people laugh. They didn't understand that sometimes being funny isn't funny to everyone or that sometimes it can hurt other people. They didn't care what their other friends said because they believed that if people laughed, they were just having fun."

"Daddy fun," R.J. whispered.

Harry shot him a patient look before continuing. "Well, as the boy grew up, the world around him grew more and more dangerous. Bad men were hurting people so he believed that being funny was all the more important. He believed that laughter can make everyone feel better, even if it's just for a moment. Suddenly, things weren't so funny anymore. His best friend was gone so he went after the man who hurt his best friend. He didn't realize until it was too late that the bad man tricked him—forcing him to go to a place where it was very hard to be funny."

"Daddy sad?" R.J. asked quietly.

Harry's gaze turned sympathetic. "Yes, R.J., he was sad for a long time until he realized that the bad man was close to a boy he loved as his own son. That was what he needed to escape from the sad place and hurry to the boy's side only to see that the boy was being hurt. He rescued the boy and did everything in his power to protect him until the bad man was captured. When everyone realized that he was innocent, he was able to take the boy in and raise him as his own—and be funny again."

When R.J. didn't comment, Harry noticed that R.J.'s eyes were drooping. "Unfortunately, Sirius quickly realized that he couldn't be funny all the time like before. There were times he needed to be serious because he was now the adult of the family. It was when Sirius saw how everything affected his godson that he realized how words and actions really affected people. He learned how dangerous the world really was because bad men wanted his godson dead so Sirius did everything in his power to protect the person he had come to love as his own son."

There was a faint creek, signaling that Anna had just crossed the noisy floorboard by their bedroom. Harry hesitated for only a moment. Anna had obviously been listening in. "Sirius learned a lot when he became a father," Harry said softly. "He learned how to become an actual adult, a teacher and he even learned how to let go when his godson finally met a wonderful woman who would put up with him."

A snort from the hallway made Harry smile. Rising to his feet, Harry glance at Evan and R.J. only to find them both asleep. He quietly left the room, carefully closing the door halfway and followed the gentle waves of excitement and nervousness to the master bedroom. He could understand both emotions. They had talked about another child but had thought about waiting for another year, at least until Evan could talk clearly so he could express himself and what he was picking up. Then there was also a chance that the next child could also be empathic.

The chances were against the occurrence but they had to be prepared for anything.

Entering the room, Harry made his way to the bed and sat down beside Anna. The atmosphere was so reminiscent of when they found out about Evan. Wrapping an arm around Anna, Harry pulled her close and waited for her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I'm happy Harry," Anna insisted. "I really am. It's just—three kids in less than a year. What are we going to do?"

Harry couldn't stop the grin the spread on his face. Of course that would be what Anna was worried about. "We'll make it work. If I need to take more time off, then that's what we'll do. I've never hidden where my priorities are. Everyone knows that I'm a husband and father first, Healer second. I do think we should wait to tell Sirius and Jocelyn, though. Their focus should be on Leo and Lily, not what may need to happen in seven months."

Anna let out a long breath. "You know that'll never happen," she countered tiredly. "They need you too much, especially in the maternity ward."

"They survived before I came here so they can survive if I take a few days off," Harry insisted. "Trust me, Anna. Everything will be fine. We'll work things out so Evan can attend the day care at the hospital a few days a week." Anna moved to protest. "We both knew it was going to happen eventually. This is just moving it up a little faster than what we had originally planned."

Anna sighed and relaxed against Harry. "I'm being silly, aren't I?" she asked.

Harry smiled as he shifted so he could tilt her head up and meet his gaze. "No, Anna," he said gently. "You're looking out for our family. When it comes to us, overprotective comes with the territory. Both of us want to protect Evan from any difficulties he may face with his gift but we have to remember that he's also a little boy who will need to get out there and be around people more than once every two weeks. Let's focus on his communication skills and go from there. We'll let him set the pace."

Anna nodded with a relieved smile. Harry's smile grew before he lowered his head and gently kissed her. His eyes slowly closed as he buried his fingers in her long dark brown hair. Soothing waves washed over him like an intoxicating drug, pulling him along for the ride. He felt Anna urge him to lie back on the bed and complied only to break the kiss and open his eyes to meet her gaze.

"So, are you up for celebrating?" Anna asked coyly as she ran her hands down Harry's shirt.

Harry couldn't help himself and let out a snort. "Perhaps we should wait until we're alone in the house," he said seriously. "I really don't want to try to explain what's happening in here to a one-year-old."

Anna let out an aggravated sigh and collapsed on Harry, burying her face in his neck. "Empaths," she muttered with a hint of playfulness in her voice. "All right, I can wait. Let's just hope that baby number two isn't as demanding as baby number one was. I'm really not looking forward to visiting the porcelain god every time I smell food."

"Or the late night cravings?" Harry countered with a sigh. "Some of those combinations—"

"—oh don't remind me," Anna interrupted before raising her head and looking into Harry's eyes. "Harry, can you promise me something?"

Harry was caught a little off guard but immediately answered anyways. "Of course."

Anna smiled. "Promise me that you'll teach Evan how to do that thing you did when I was pregnant with him?" When Harry stared at her in confusion, she added, "When you connected with Evan through your empathy. You really bonded with Evan and even helped when he decided to use my body as his workout station. I think it would help if Evan could connect with the baby. At least he'd be prepared for what's coming."

Harry thought about it for a moment. It was something to consider once the baby was a little more developed. It wasn't until Anna was nearly four-and-a-half months pregnant with Evan that Harry actually managed to sense an actual awareness to what he was projecting. Then again, that could have been the first sign that Evan was empathic.

"We can try when the time's right," Harry said at last. "For now, let's just enjoy Leo and Lily. Sirius and Jocelyn are going to need help, especially with R.J. I don't think he's going to understand why his parents suddenly don't have all the time in the world for him."

Anna buried her face in Harry's neck once again. "Don't underestimate him, Harry. R.J.'s too much like his father. If anything, R.J. may try to start a prank war."

Harry couldn't help laughing. It would be Sirius' luck that everything he had taught his son would be turned against him. "That would be a sight," he said. "Of course we'd never hear about it."

"Unless Jocelyn wants to get back at Sirius for doing something stupid," Anna offered before sitting up and sliding off the bed. "We should get ready for bed and call it a night. I suspect R.J. will be up as soon as the sun rises."

Harry watched her disappear into the adjoining bathroom. Truthfully, Harry was surprised he hadn't sensed the presence of a baby even with his shields up. Perhaps that was the first sign that he was losing focus or maybe it was the first sign that the baby was normal.

_No. I can't think like that. Evan's just as normal as everyone else. _

Sitting up, Harry let out a tired sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. A part of him knew that he was over-thinking everything. He hadn't sensed either of Jocelyn's pregnancies until she had actually revealed that she was with child and even then he had missed the second baby. Of course it didn't help that Sirius had Harry refrain from using any of his abilities to check on the children but that was beside the point.

_Or was it?_

"Harry," Anna warned from the bathroom, "stop over-thinking and get ready for bed. We're supposed to be focusing on Leo and Lily, right?"

Harry rolled his eyes and stood up. "Are you sure you're not the empath?" he asked as he walked over to the dresser and removed his watch before entering the bathroom where Anna had already changed into her nightgown. From the look that Anna gave him, Harry knew not to push it.

"I don't have to be empathic to know that you fear the worst when it comes to Evan," Anna said picking up the hair brush and running it through her hair. "Harry, we're learning more and more every day. It won't be like it was when you developed your abilities. Let's take it one day at a time. Perhaps we should worry about toilet training Evan first."

Harry winced. That was one task he wasn't looking forward to if R.J.'s training was anything to go by. However, he knew what Anna was trying to do. The future would come eventually—the baby would come eventually. It was time to focus on the now; cherish Evan's childhood while it's still here. After all, empaths had a history of growing up too fast.


	3. Pride

Harry Potter couldn't stop himself from smiling as he finished cleaning up the kitchen. He could hear his two-year-old son, Evan, talking from the next room in a tone that clearly left no room for argument. Ever since his daughter had been born three months ago, Evan had taken it upon himself to tell his sister repeatedly how things worked in the Potter household. Evan's language skills had improved drastically in the past year but he was only two. There were just some words that he couldn't say yet no matter how much he tried.

Much had changed in the past year. Sirius and Jocelyn certainly had their hands full with R.J., Leo and Lily. Leo was another replica of his father except for his eyes while Lily had more of her mother's features but had just enough of her father for everyone to know that she and Leo were twins. Unfortunately for Jocelyn, Leo and Lily's personalities came from Sirius' side of the family. That made the twins quite a force to be reckoned with whenever R.J. attempted to tease them.

R.J. hadn't been as thrilled about the twins as Evan was about his sister at first. Whenever R.J. had visited, Harry had heard all about what R.J. really thought of his siblings. It wasn't anything horrible. R.J. just didn't like how his parents had no time for him anymore and blamed the twins for it. It took some time but eventually Sirius and Jocelyn worked it out. Now, however, R.J. often saw his siblings as partners in crime rather than the enemy.

"—an' Mama an' Dada like sleep," Evan instructed his sister. "No more cryin' a' night 'ri'na. Eban like sleep too. Eban no sleep when 'ri'na sad."

Harry let out a sigh as he put the last clean dish away. Evan's empathy was still a problem at times, especially when it concerned his sister, Arianna. The bonding that Anna had insisted on had helped Evan accept his sister but it had also formed a bond between them that not even Harry could compete with. Arianna absolutely adored her brother and sometimes would only settle down for him which became a challenge whenever such a fit happened while Evan was at day care.

The one thing they knew for certain, though, was that Arianna did not follow in her father's footsteps like Evan did. She wasn't empathic and—from what they could determine at such a young age—a completely normal witch. She had unfortunately inherited the Potter hair curse like Evan, something that made Anna vow to keep Arianna's hair long the moment it grew to a decent length.

"Daddy!" Evan yelled, breaking Harry out of his thoughts. "Daddy! 'ri'na stinky!"

"I'm coming, Evan," Harry said as he folded the towel he had been drying dishes with before walking out of the kitchen and into the sitting room. Evan was sitting beside Arianna who was lying on her back on a large blanket in the middle of the room. Evan grinned at Harry and hurried to his feet while Harry knelt down and picked Arianna up. "Want to help, little one?"

"Eban help!" Evan said excitedly and ran out of the room.

Harry followed at a slower pace. The loud thuds of Evan hurrying up the stairs as fast as he could make it sounded like Hippogriffs in the silence. Shifting his attention to Arianna, Harry could only smile as emerald green met emerald green. Other than the hair, it had been the only feature Arianna had inherited from the Potter side of the family. Everything else was completely Anna. "You're lucky to have a big brother looking out for you like Evan does," Harry said quietly.

Arianna let out a happy squeal as she reached up, attempting to grab Harry's nose. Harry managed to avoid her grasp as he carefully walked up the stairs. Arianna certainly loved to move around. She had been very active from day one, never stopping even in sleep. It was normal for Arianna to move around in her sleep and end up in a completely awkward position by morning.

Entering the nursery, Harry couldn't help laughing at the sight in front of him. Evan had managed to pull out a clean nappy, a package of wipes and several toys to distract Arianna. "Very good, Evan," Harry said as he entered the room and picked up the changing mat that was on the changing table. "It looks like you have everything ready."

Evan hurried to his father's side. "Eban help good?" he asked hopefully.

Harry slowly sank to one knee and kissed Evan on top of his head before putting the changing mat on the floor and Arianna on top of it. "I'm so proud of you, Evan," he said with a smile. "Daddy would be lost without you."

Evan beamed with pride before hurrying over by Arianna's head and dropping to his knees. Harry kept an eye on Evan as he changed Arianna's nappy but it seemed that Evan knew exactly which toy Arianna wanted to play with. It was times like this that Evan's ability was obvious. He was too gentle with Arianna for a two-year-old, never doing anything to make her upset or scared.

"Daddy, 'ri'na go na'nigh' soon?" Evan asked in a loud whisper.

Harry smiled as he finished changing Arianna's nappy and magically banished it. "Yes, Evan," he answered in the fake whisper. "Why do you ask?"

Evan grinned widely before jumping to his feet and running over to the closet. Harry didn't have to ask what he was doing. Bedtime at the Potter household wasn't like other households. There was no struggle in putting children to bed. Arianna was normally put down shortly after dinner and Evan was usually put to bed an hour later…after a bedtime story of Evan's choosing. Lately, Evan's choices had been his grandparents. He loved hearing about Papa Remus, Papa James and Nana Lily.

Picking up on Arianna's impatience, Harry sent a gentle calming wave as he slowly pulled off her shirt just in time for Evan to hurry back with a set of pajamas for her. Together, Harry and Evan dressed Arianna in a pair of pink footed pajamas that would hopefully remain on throughout the night. Evan was certainly a hands-on child. He loved helping and insisted on doing things himself—even if it took him twice as long. Thankfully, he allowed his parents to help when Arianna was involved.

"'ri'na go na'nigh' now," Evan instructed his sister. "'member, sleep good. No cryin'."

Arianna just stared at Evan for a moment before letting out a loud happy squeal. Harry bit back a smile as he picked Arianna up. He knew that Evan was serious about his instructions and wished there was more he could do to help Evan. Arianna was doing better. She was only waking once or twice a night but evidently that was more than enough for Evan. Wards and spells did little to block their connection. It made Harry wonder just how strong was Evan's ability. Harry normally woke at the first warning of Arianna's restlessness. If Evan was picking up on it before him—

"Daddy otay?" Evan asked quietly, interrupting Harry's thoughts.

Harry smiled at his son before standing up and walking over to Arianna's crib. "Daddy's fine, Evan," he said, sending a reassuring wave Evan's way. Evan smiled back, returning the action. Harry shot Evan a wink before lowering Arianna into the crib. "Now, go to sleep, Ari," Harry said as he covered her up and ran a finger down her face. "Sweet dreams."

"Eban say na'nigh' too!" Evan announced as he jumped up and down in an attempt to catch sight of his sister. In one movement, Harry lifted Evan up and held on as Evan reached over to Arianna and patted her on the head. "Na'nigh' 'ri'na," Evan said softly. "Go sleep."

Arianna stared up at Evan for a long moment before Harry put Evan back down. Sending another calming wave over Arianna, Harry quietly ushered Evan out of the room and turned off the lights. As he was closing the door, Harry pulled out his wand and cast a few monitoring spells over the crib and room. It wasn't really necessary since he normally sensed Arianna's needs before the spells went off but it didn't hurt to be cautious. After all, it was hard to predict when an emergency would come up at the hospital.

That was one part of the job that Sirius hated since he was normally the one Harry would call to watch the kids until the crisis was over. It didn't happen often and the hospital was extremely accommodating to the Potter family. Anna often joked that it was simply one of the perks being married to an empath and natural healer. The hospital needed Harry more than he needed them.

As soon as the door closed with a _click_, Harry quickly turned around grinned mischievously at Evan. Evan let out a giggle before taking off to his own room as fast as he could. Following at a slower pace, Harry had to admit that regardless of the challenges and surprises, he couldn't imagine his life any other way. Anna had the patience of a saint, Evan was a remarkable child, never complaining about an ability that caused so much pain, Arianna was healthy and Sirius finally had the life he always wanted with a wife and children to corrupt—er—raise.

Back in England, Ron and Hermione were married and trying for a child of their own and they weren't the only ones. Bill and Fleur already had two daughters, Victoire and Dominique, Charlie and Tonks had a son, Teddy, and Percy had a daughter, Molly, with rumors of another on the way. There were also rumors that Fred and George were both expecting sons and had promised to name them after each other. So far Mrs. Weasley had been unsuccessful in talking them out of it.

Harry had to admit that he didn't envy Mrs. Weasley at all. She had certainly had her hands full lately, especially with Ginny's wedding only a few weeks ago. That had certainly been an experience. Harry had stood up for Neville and Evan had been the ring bearer. It had been Evan's first experience with such a large crowd and with so many intense emotions. Evan ended up doing better than expected. He made it halfway down before nearly breaking down in tears and running to Harry's side.

Thankfully Evan's behavior had been ignored since he was only two and in place he was unfamiliar with.

It had been a beautiful wedding and it was clear that Neville and Ginny really loved each other. Watching the ceremony was all the proof that Harry needed to see that life in England had indeed changed. Where there had once been a society that depended on a hero was replaced by a generation determined to stand on their own two feet. Harry knew his name would always come after some sort of title but he had a feeling that he would be the last one for a very long time.

Entering Evan's room, Harry briefly scanned the room but saw no sign of Evan. "Hmm, I wonder where Evan can be," Harry said as he slowly walked over to the closet and opened the doors only to fight back a smile at the sight in front of him. Evan had attempted to change his own clothes but was trying to put his pajama shirt on backwards.

"Eban do it!" Evan insisted as he gave up on his shirt and pulled off one sock.

Harry chuckled as he picked Evan up as well as his pajama bottoms and carried him over to Evan's toddler bed. "I know you want to dress yourself, Evan," he said patiently. "Will you let Daddy help?"

Evan stared at Harry for a moment before finally speaking up. "Otay," he said quietly and waited while Harry fixed his shirt. Together, they changed his pants and hurried off to the bathroom for a try on the toilet. Evan's toilet training had just begun and Harry already knew it was going to be a long process. Evan was more focused on other people than what his own body was doing. Most of the time it left Evan in tears since he always picked up Harry and Anna's frustration.

Following Evan back into his bedroom, Harry patiently waited as Evan hurried over to his bed and grabbed the light blue blanket that 'Nana Joy' had made for him and hurried back to Harry's side with a big grin on his face.

"Story, Daddy!" Evan exclaimed happily.

Harry stared at Evan for a moment before quickly picking him up and tickling him as he walked out of the room towards the stairs. Evan let out a squeal of giggles as he tried and failed to push Harry's hands away. As Harry descended the stairs, he repositioned Evan so he was held securely. Waves of happiness and eagerness poured off of Evan making Harry smile. It still amazed him that regardless of Evan's abilities, he could still be a normal little boy at times.

"So, my little terror, what story do you want to hear tonight?" Harry asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs and continued on into the sitting room.

Evan stared at Harry thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "Papa Jay, Daddy," he said with a confident nod. "Wanna hear Papa Jay be silly."

Harry let out a snort as he put Evan on the sofa and covered him with his blanket. "All right, Papa James it is," he said as he sat down beside Evan and waited until Evan snuggled up to him before continuing. "Once upon a time, there was a boy who saw the world in black in white. You see, this boy was under the firm belief that all Slytherins were dark witches and wizards and therefore needed to be taught a lesson. In order to do that, little James asked for his three friends to help him play tricks on the Slytherins."

"T'icks naugh'y," Evan said in all seriousness. "Righ' Daddy?"

Harry smiled as he ran a hand through Evan's messy black hair. "That's right, Evan," he said patiently. "It was naughty. Little James thought it was all right to be naughty, especially when everyone laughed when he pulled his tricks. They all thought little James was just being silly. He didn't realize that he was actually hurting someone's feelings and making them sad."

"Sad bad, Daddy," Evan jumped in. "Eban no like sad."

Harry wrapped his arm tightly around Evan. "I know you don't," he said reassuringly. "As little James got older, his tricks became more and more naughty until he realized just how dangerous they could when one of his friends tried to scare a Slytherin. It didn't stop his tricks but it calmed them down a little bit. Soon after, James realized that if wanted people to see him like a good boy, he needed to act like a good boy. The main reason he wanted to act like a good boy because he fancied a pretty girl called Lily."

"Nana Lily!" Evan announced happily.

Harry could only smile. "Well, not yet, Evan," he said. "James had to work hard for Lily to see that he had actually changed but James still believed that Slytherins were dark. He still believed that his beliefs were right. It wasn't until he left school and entered the real world that he realized that things aren't always as they appeared to be. There weren't just Slytherins and everyone else. There were bad people who pretended to be friends and good people who pretended to be enemies."

"S'ibelis?" Evan asked obediently.

Harry froze. There's only one place Evan would pick up that word. "Evan, has Papa Sirius been telling you Papa James' story?" he asked cautiously.

Evan stared at Harry nervously. "Papa Sir'us like Papa Jay story," he said. "Papa Sir'us bad?"

Harry let out a sigh. "No Evan," he said tiredly. "Papa Sirius isn't bad but he should know better than to call someone that. The man's name was _Severus_. Can you say that?"

Evan scrunched his face up in concentration. "Seb—eh—us," he said slowly.

Harry chuckled. "Close enough. You see Evan, James learned that not everything is black and white. Sometimes people don't like you but they still want to do the right thing and sometimes people you like do the wrong thing that ends up hurting you. The important thing to remember is to never judge a person before you get to know them, understand?"

Evan nodded confidently although Harry seriously doubted that Evan actually understood any of what Harry was saying. "Daddy?" Evan asked curiously. "Why 'ri'na like Mommy?"

Harry frowned in confusion. "What do you mean buddy?" he asked gently.

Evan scrunched his face in concentration before Harry felt a soft wave of curiosity brush against him. "'ri'na no do dat," Evan said as he opened his blue eyes and stared at Harry. "Why?"

Harry hesitated. This was a conversation that he had hoped to avoid until Evan was old enough to understand. "Evan, do you remember what we told you before you started to go to 'school'?" Harry asked slowly.

Evan nodded. "Don' t'y on 'nyone," he answered obediently. "Day can't do wha' Eban do. Do dat mean 'ri'na can't?"

Harry smiled sympathetically. "Yes, Evan," he said gently. "Arianna can't do what we can do. Most people can't. That's why we're trying to keep it a secret. Do you understand?"

Evan nodded eagerly. "Sec'et mean no tell. Eban no tell." Evan's gaze fell as he frowned for a moment before looking back at Harry in confusion. "Eban no tell 'ri'na?"

Harry couldn't help smiling. "I don't think we have to worry about Arianna at the moment," he said good-naturedly. "When she's bigger, we'll talk to her together, all right?"

Evan smiled brightly. "Okay, Daddy. Eban talk to 'ri'na lader. 'ri'na keep sec'et."

"All right, buddy," Harry said as he stood up, picking Evan up on the way. "I believe it is now time for someone to go to bed."

Evan pouted as Harry turned and walked towards the stairs. "Bu' Mama no' home," he said sadly. "Eban wanna see Mama."

Harry let out a resigned sigh as he started walking up the stairs. "Evan, Mum's at work," he said patiently. "She's making people feel better, remember?"

Evan's nodded. "Mama help like Daddy help," he said softly. "Eban help too?"

Harry smiled as he reached the top of the stairs. "Maybe someday, little one, when you're as big as me."

Evan stared at Harry with wide eyes. "Dat big? Eban get dat big?"

Harry chuckled. "Someday," he said as he entered Evan's room. "Now, I think it's time for little boys to go to bed."

Walking over to Evan's toddler bed, Harry sank to one knee and lowered Evan to the ground. With Evan's independence, Harry simply watched as Evan crawled into bed, pulled his blankets up and positioned his light blue blanket beside him. It was almost comical to watch and sense. Determination poured off of Evan followed by waves of pride. Everything had to be in place and Evan had to put it there.

"All set?" Harry asked when Evan finally looked up at Harry with a big smile on his face.

"Yes Daddy," Evan said with a big nod before lying down. "Eban go na'nigh' now. 'ri'na s'eepin'. Eban s'eep too."

Harry returned the smile even though he wanted nothing more than to frown at his son. Running his fingers through Evan's messy hair, Harry knew that something needed to change but he had no idea where to start. "Evan, I know it's hard with your sister waking you up but you need to come and tell us when something's wrong, all right?" he said gently.

Evan stared at Harry in confusion. "Bu' Daddy see 'ri'na. Eban see. Eban be good 'n go to bed."

Harry closed his eyes and let out a long breath. _How do you explain something like this to a two-year-old?_ "But that doesn't help you. If Arianna or someone else is bothering you, I want you to tell us, all right?" At Evan's confused look, Harry elaborated. "Remember when we talked about bad feelings?" Evan nodded. "Well, if you feel something that wakes you up, I want you to tell your Mum or me so we can help it go away."

Evan grinned. "Otay Daddy. Eban tell."

Harry leaned down, kissed Evan on his forehead and sent Evan a calming wave only to have Evan send a wave right back. Honestly, Evan picked up on the empathy aspects too quickly. If Evan continued at this rate, Harry had no doubt that Evan would be a force to be reckoned with once he entered his teenage years.

"G'nigh' Daddy," Evan said as he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.

"Good night, little one," Harry said as he stood up. "Sweet dreams."

Leaving the room, Harry turned off the lights and slowly closed the door. Tiredly, Harry leaned against the wall and slowly lowered the shields he had created to block the majority of his empathy. The shields had really been the only way he had maintained his sanity for so long at work but at home…

Muffled waves of contentment centered on Arianna's room while waves of tiredness and hint of restlessness came from Evan's. Arianna was definitely asleep and Evan was trying hard to but needed to relax for that to happen. Focusing on Evan, Harry sent him another calming wave. A soft giggle reached his ears before a tickling wave was sent back. Shaking his head, Harry walked back downstairs to finish a few remaining chores before he started on some paperwork for the hospital.

Deep down, Harry knew he needed to make some changes. He had become too dependent on his shielding. Perhaps that was why Arianna had such a close bond with Evan. Evan didn't hide anything from her. Evan didn't hide anything from anyone. He was an innocent little boy who had no idea why secrets were necessary.

Harry couldn't help wondering if he had ever been that innocent.


End file.
